Visualizing the Accessibility and Spatial Equity of HIV-Related Services: A Geographic Analysis of Chicago Neighborhoods

Catherine E. Kaukinen, Bowling Green State University
Christopher L. Fulcher, University of Missouri at Columbia

We use Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis to examine accessibility to HIV service providers and identify the neighborhood-level factors (i.e., demographic and socio-economic) that overlap with accessibility across Chicago neighborhoods. Our preliminary findings point to significant clustering of both highly accessible and highly inaccessible neighborhoods across Chicago. Some clusters of inaccessible neighborhoods in the south and central areas of Chicago (Near South Side, East Garfield Park, Fuller Park, Grand Boulevard and Washington Park) also overlap with clusters of neighborhoods with higher rates of AIDS infection and HIV infection mortality, and percentage of African Americans. Clusters of accessible neighborhoods are located in the northeast (Edgewater and Uptown) and downtown area of Chicago (Loop) also hard hit by the AIDS epidemic. This suggests an inequity in the distribution of HIV-related services that may disproportionately affect African Americans.